Final answer:
The correct statement about the genetic code is that it is redundant, meaning that most amino acids are encoded by more than one codon. This redundancy helps protect against errors in protein synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct statement about the genetic code is that it is redundant. This means that most amino acids are encoded by more than one codon. Not all codons specify an amino acid; three codons are stop codons that terminate protein synthesis rather than code for an amino acid. Moreover, the genetic code is unambiguous, meaning each codon codes for only one amino acid (aside from the stop codons). Therefore, the correct answer is (b) The genetic code is redundant.
Redundancy helps protect against errors during protein synthesis. If there's a minor change in one nucleotide of a codon, there's still a good chance it will code for the same amino acid. The degeneracy of the genetic code, especially in the wobble position (third nucleotide of a codon), allows this flexibility, thereby reducing the impact of mutations on the protein's function.